People of CSIS

As a security service specializing in human intelligence and covert operations, the employees of CSIS have always been the Service’s greatest asset. And yet, as with the rest of Canadian society, systemic racism has prevented the Service from having a fully diverse and inclusive workforce. Overcoming these barriers and modernizing our workforce to be truly representative of the Canadians we serve, is critical for the future success of CSIS.

Having acknowledged our past failings, CSIS is taking concrete steps to fulfill the commitment to create a healthy, respectful, and harassment-free workplace that values diversity of all types. These are transformative initiatives impacting our people, systems, and culture.

The CSIS People Strategy seeks to foster a safe, healthy and respectful workplace, and implement modern human resources practices that attract, develop and retain the talent CSIS needs today and tomorrow. Action items, such as the implementation of the new CSIS Code of Conduct in 2020, puts forward the values employees are committed to uphold in their work environment: respect for people, respect for democracy, integrity, stewardship, and excellence. The Respect Campaign also re-enforces the importance of respect in our working relationships, identifies measures to address racism and systemic discrimination, and promotes a harassment free workplace.

CSIS’s comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion Strategy helps to address bias, inclusive leadership, recruitment, career and development opportunities, and open communication on difficult issues such as systemic racism. This work complements the CSIS Accessibility Strategy with the purpose of ensuring a barrier-free workplace. CSIS has also established a permanent GBA+ unit and a thriving GBA+ advisory network that works to ensure the development of fair and equitable policies, programs, and practices.

While more work is needed, there has been an increase in the appointment of diverse candidates to executive positions; managers are proactively thinking and acting with new focus on inclusiveness; hundreds of employees are participating in learning events; and employees across the organization are stepping up and speaking out to help foster change. Promoting diversity and inclusion has and will continue to remain a priority for CSIS into the future.